Unwelcome Visitor
by Jude1
Summary: An unwelcome guest puts John and Aeryn's relationship at risk.If you are easily offended do not read rather than flame me after this warning
1. Part 1

It was one of the good days on Moya. It had been for sometime. The food was plentiful and everyone was on mutual terms for once. Chiana was exploring Moya, Noranti and Rygel were in the centre chamber eating as per usual. Ka D'argo was in command and John was helping Aeryn perform long over due maintenance on her Prowler. Things were going far too well for John's liking. Even Aeryn had noticed nothing major had happened since they were restored from their crystalline state. But they never said anything. In their opinion if they mentioned anything about the lack of things happening, then fate would frell them once again, which it was sure to do for one of them sometime soon.

"John, could you pass me the welding torch?" Aeryn asked from underneath her Prowler.

"Sure. Here you go baby," John replied, sliding the welding torch to where Aeryn was laying. "What's the problem?"

"Laser probe." John slid the laser probe to her as well. "I noticed when we were scouting ahead the other day, the wheels take longer than they should to retract. I reckon a sensor just needs re-aligning... oh and there is a crack in the undercarriage too... it's only minor at the moment, but I will fix it before it gets any worse." She pulled the welding mask off her face. "You know John...I am surprised that you haven't once said 'Are you sure you should be doing that in your condition'."

John smiled, "What after last night? Nah... I think you are fully capable of _anything_."

Aeryn stopped what she was doing and slid half way out from where she was. Her cheek was smudged with grease and her hair was coming un-braided. She looked up at John with what he called 'playful seriousness,' "And what do you mean by that?" she asked.

John crouched down and looked directly into his fiancée's beautiful grey eyes, "Oh you know very well what I mean," he replied teasingly.

"No...I don't know what you mean," she replied with fake hostility. Aeryn pushed John off balance and sliding out from under her Prowler quickly pinned him down before he had the chance to get up. She smiled down at him, and ran a hand under his t-shirt, causing him to groan. "Now that's a great view..." John teased.

Aeryn stood up and pulled John to his feet, but before she could do anything John pushed her against her Prowler. He pressed close to her, "Does this make it clear?" he whispered into her ear, his warm breath making her body tingle and his free hand caressing her lower back.

"Crystal." She replied taking his hand and pulling him round to the other side. Aeryn climbed the stepladder to the cockpit after removing her boots and dropping her gun belt to the floor. "Come on, they won't miss us."

John followed her after doing the same and closed the hatch behind him. He kissed her deeply and passionately, "You know...Aeryn..." John said, trying to unzip the fly on Aeryn's leather pants as she unzipped his, "this has to be one of my favourite places to make love to you...even though it's damn awkward."

Aeryn nodded, "But not as awkward as your module...here...does this help?" she asked shifting position under him and removing her pants for him. John kissed her affectionately, and started to un-braid her long dark hair. She pulled his black t-shirt off slowly and ran her hands over his back as he continued to kiss her neck and shoulders, "When..." John mumbled.

"When what?" Aeryn managed to mumble in reply as John's mouth covered hers with tender kisses.

"When are we...actually going to...get married?" John asked sliding off Aeryn's top, her skin feeling soft as silk in his warm hands.

"You only asked me three weekens ago..." She said, rolling him over so she was on top.

"Yeah...I know that," John groaned as he hit his head on a panel, "But the sooner the better right?" he asked, as Aeryn rubbed the sore spot on his head better.

"Yes...soon. There's no damage."

"God damn it woman, you're so gorgeous," he smiled at her as she helped to remove his underwear, watching her intently every second.

"Mmm... you are beautiful too," Aeryn replied, after she finally managed to remove her underwear too. She continued kissing him warmly as she slid herself onto him with a slight gasp. Smiling down at him her hair tumbled over her shoulders as she watched different emotions creep over her lover's face. John smiled up at her and pushed the stray tendrils of hair behind her only for it to fall back over her shoulders within seconds. Aeryn moved slowly against him as he cupped her breasts in his hands, pinching her hard nipples softly in his fingertips. She bit her bottom lip as she lay on top of him and he pulled her closer to him. They moved slowly and sensually against each other; waves of electricity running through their veins. Their lips met in long and tender kisses, their tongues caressing each others as they fought for breath. Aeryn could feel him pulsing insider her and he could feel her wetness on his erect penis making it even harder to fight to keep the myriad of sensations under control to prolong lovemaking as long as he could. He could see she was tiring and placed his hands lightly on her hips to help her along. She flashed a smile that melted his heart and he buried his head in her neck taking in her sweet scent, tasting her skin with sweet kisses that he knew make her shudder with pleasure. They whispered loving and affectionate words throughout and ran their hands over each others bodies. John could feel her body start to tense and her eyes glaze at the beginning of a climax that was sure to be one they would share at the exact same moment as it often was, when D'argo's voice crackled over the comms.

"Aeryn, you'd better finish what you're doing with your Prowler, we may need the weapon...is Crichton down there with you."

"Yeah, John's here," she replied trying heard to regulate her breathing. She looked down at John and frowned, resisting the urge to tell D'argo to 'get frelled' but she instead replied, "Why? What's the problem?"

"You two had better prepare some weapons...we are receiving a transmission in Peacekeeper coding, except, the person sending the transmission said he is longer a Peacekeeper,"

"Damn, there's never enough time," John said, smiling up at the naked woman above him.

For once Aeryn smiled too, "There's still time...now we better get dressed before they find us in here like this," she said trying to free her underwear from under John's backside.

After struggling to get dressed as quickly as they could in the confines of the Prowler cockpit, John got out of the Prowler, followed by Aeryn. "Do we have a visual?" she asked, as John helped her down.

"No we don't, but he claims that his ship is in trouble and that his crew are dead." D'argo replied.

John looked at Aeryn and sighed, "You know I knew that three weekens of nothing happening was too good to be true."

Aeryn nodded in agreement, "I say we starburst. I do not want to let anyone on that could potentially put our lives in danger.

"I disagree Aeryn. The communication that came through was from a non-peacekeeper ship, and the ship is the only thing on Moya's long range scans."

Aeryn sighed, "What do you think John?"

John wrapped his arms around her waist and gently nuzzled her cheek, "I think...that this guy...whoever he is, may be a good bargaining chip...and I know if he threatens you or your pregnancy, you would cut off his mivonks...or kill him."

Aeryn shook her head, "John, the transmission was in Peacekeeper Coding. Remember what I told you a few cycles ago? Peacekeepers are trained not to repair their own ship, but to find and secure someone else's...it may not be a Peacekeeper ship, but the transmission that was in Peacekeeper coding claimed he was ex-peacekeeper and Peacekeepers _never_ lie right?"

"I think he is telling the truth...what would a Peacekeeper be doing out here in Tortured Space, on a non-peacekeeper ship?"

Aeryn frowned, "You forget we have the Scarrens and Peacekeepers hunting us down now..."

"Well what if this guy is telling the truth, most likely he would be a deserter right?"

"Right."

"Well then...he may be a great help in decoding Peacekeeper transmissions, in guessing what they may do next..."

"Okay," Aeryn sighed, "But if anything does happen..."

"Yeah I know...no sex for a weeken." John said with a cheeky smile, causing Aeryn to punch him playfully.

"Pilot...bring the ship on board and starburst immediately, just in case there is another ship nearby and activate the cells on tier one" Aeryn said grabbing her chain pulser.

"Are you sure that's a big enough gun? I'm sure a smaller pulse rifle will do." John asked suggestively. He was amazed that only a few minutes ago she was making love to him so tenderly and unafraid to show feelings, and now she wore the blank mask that hid any sign of emotion of what had gone on between them before hand.

Aeryn stared at John, "Are _you_ sure _you_ don't want a bigger gun? You do realise there could be a whole platoon of Peacekeepers coming off that ship!"

He shook his head and held up Winona; his favourite pulse pistol "Na. Winona rarely lets me down...look, if you're that worried, I put her on the second setting."

"Good," she replied, pulling him in front of the hangar doors, "now when he boards, I want you to escort him to a cell until we know what his intentions are."

Aeryn and John were joined by Chiana with a pulse rifle and D'argo with his Qualter blade. The doors opened to reveal a small smouldering transport ship.

"HANDS BEHIND YOUR HEAD AND TURN AROUND! REMAIN SILENT!" Aeryn yelled before the doors had a chance to fully open. "Chiana, search him for weapons."

Chiana smiled, "Sure..." She approached the male cautiously, "Spread your legs." She demanded, obviously enjoying running her hands over his body before handcuffing him. "He's clean..."

"Turn around...SLOWLY!" Aeryn commanded.

John lent in to whisper in Aeryn's ear, "Easy Aeryn, the guy may be injured."

"He's standing isn't he?" she hissed in reply.

Everyone readied their weapons as the man turned around slowly as instructed. Aeryn froze in a mixture of horror, surprise and disbelief. "Velorek." She said; her voice barely audible. "Get him to a cell..." she growled, quickly replacing the blank mask that had momentarily slipped from her face.

"Aeryn? Is it really you?" Velorek asked.

D'argo glared at the stranger recognising the man from an image seen cycles ago, "This is Velorek?" Aeryn nodded at D'argo unable to speak.

"So this is the guy from the Peacekeeper recording?" Chiana asked, studying the visitor.

Aeryn shook off the shock and composed herself, "It doesn't matter right now...just get him to a cell okay?" she snapped.

"Damn Aeryn, you sure are moody today. Hormones is it?" Chiana replied vehemently.

"Chiana..." John scolded, "Do you see that Chain Pulser she has in her hand?" John didn't need to continue. Chiana had taken the hint as she offered to escort the unwelcome guest to his cell. Nobody dare mess with the ex-peacekeeper now she was pregnant. "D'argo...go with her."

D'argo nodded, "We'll meet back in command to discuss what to do with the visitor." D'argo replied.

"D'argo...I'll need to talk to Pilot first." Aeryn shouted after him before turning to John "I want him off Moya now. John do you know who that is? That is Velorek... the Velorek that was once my lover and the Velorek that was executed for treason."

"Is there any way that you know of, that Velorek could of survived his execution?" John asked kindly, putting a reassuring arm around her waist.

Aeryn shook her head pulling herself free from John's grasp, "Not unless he was banished...but that only happens when someone becomes irreversibly contaminated and even then it's rare. He could have been secretly reassigned if High Command did not want to lose him..."

He could see she looked worried, "What?" John asked, taking her hand in his to calm her down.

"Why...why is he here on Moya. Why now? What if he still loves me?"

"We'll find out why he is here," John said softy, "And who cares if he still loves you? You're with me now, not him."

"That's the point...if Velorek finds out we are together..." she paused, not sure whether she should continue.

"What?" he asked giving her hand a supportive squeeze. She looked into the blue eyes she loved so much.

"I'm just not sure what he'll do."

John looked slightly worried, "Why? What could he do?"

She shook her head, "Don't worry John," she replied; placing a hand tenderly on his cheek, "I'm going to sort this out as soon as I've spoken to Pilot."

And leaving John standing alone and confused, she left the maintenance bay.

To Be Continued...


	2. Part 2

"Move it," Chiana said, pushing the end of her pulse rifle into the small of Velorek's back. She could see why Aeryn would have recreated with him. He was quite handsome indeed. His dark brown eyes seemed to sparkle in the lights of Moya, and his hair looked thick and soft.

"Of course, I understand why you are doing this. But you have nothing to fear from me now I am no longer a Peacekeeper. Aeryn will tell you..." Velorek said, struggling in his handcuffs.

"Yeah well...I'm under strict orders from Aeryn to lock you up and with the way she is at the moment, I'm not gonna say no." D'argo glared at Chiana. She was obviously enjoying the power she had over the ex-peacekeeper. "So...you're the guy Aeryn frelled here on Moya." She teased.

"Chiana!" D'argo scolded.

Velorek stopped, "This is Moya? May I see your Pilot?" he asked.

"Yeah... if you want him to kill you like he tried to kill Aeryn when he found out she helped kill the original Pilot. That's if Aeryn doesn't kill you first." She replied, giving him a shove with the butt of her gun to keep him moving.

"Aeryn still loves me...it is obvious. And she will be with me tonight once I have spoken with her."

Chiana laughed, "You see that other Sebacean looking guy? Well she's his mate...they are gonna marry and have kids together...Right D'argo?" Chiana removed the handcuffs and shoved Velorek in an empty cell that only had a small hard bed and a cover. She pressed a hand over the sensor to lock the door. Chiana figured Aeryn had chosen tier one to accommodate their guest as hardly anyone ever went up there, and judging by the size of the cells, they housed the worst of the prisoners when Moya was still a prison ship. "Why do you think you are all the way up here on tier one? It's because she wants you as far away from her mate as possible."

"Come Chiana. We must meet the others in command to discuss this problem," D'argo said pulling her away. "I don't think Crichton and Aeryn would want you spreading their personal life to Aeryn's ex-mate."

"Yeah, and we don't want this Velorek guy ruining John and Aeryn's relationship... don't you think they've been through enough?"

D'argo hated to admit it but Chiana was right. She was nearly always right in these situations. Crichton and Aeryn had come through so much together and their relationship was now finally on track after four cycles of indecision, death, and other obstacles keeping them apart.

"Hello Pilot," Aeryn said kindly. She took a seat on the edge of his consol, pressing her back against a rib of Moya. She felt the ships vibrations through her body, and it calmed her slightly.

"Office Sun. How are you?" Pilot asked, sensing her agitation.

Aeryn sighed and ran a hand through her hair. "I'm not good Pilot," she replied, "Our guest is an old friend of ours Pilot."

Pilot nodded and sighed, "Lieutenant Velorek."

Aeryn looked up at Pilot and took his claw in her hand, "You know he claims he is no longer a Peacekeeper, but even so, I do not trust him. Why is he here on Moya all the way in Tortured Space? Nobody in their right mind would enter Tortured Space without good reason."

Pilot continued pressing the controls, "And how is Commander Crichton taking this?"

Aeryn shook her head, "I am unsure. I left to find you as soon as I knew it was him. Pilot, I'd understand if you do not wish to have his presence aboard Moya."

"I do not mind his presence aboard, and I would wish to see him." Pilot asked. In a way he was pleased to see Velorek aboard. He was the man that had given him the chance to see the stars, but Moya was upset at having the man who helped kill her first Pilot aboard, and a part of Pilot felt the same.

Aeryn stroked his cheek, "Pilot, are you sure that is wise?"

"I am quite sure Officer Sun, I am thankful to him for allowing him to see the stars." He replied.

"If you wish to execute him, I will not stop you. I know he is partially responsible for the death of the previous Pilot and so am I,"

Pilot put a clawed arm around Aeryn, "You were following orders, as was Velorek. You should not blame yourself any more."

Aeryn nodded, "Your right, but I'm worried what he'll do to..." but she was cut short when John walked in.

"Hey Pilot. Hey baby..." he said walking over to Aeryn. He gave her a quick kiss on the lips. "...we got things to finish," he smiled. "Pilot, can you make sure we are undisturbed and let the others know the meeting is postponed until tomorrow?"

"Of course Commander." He replied.

"We shall talk again soon Pilot?" Aeryn asked.

"I appreciate your company Officer Sun."

She smiled and nodded to her friend, "Thank you for the talk Pilot. Let Moya know I am here if she wishes for me to remove him."

"Of course. Moya is grateful for your concern."

"Goodnight Pilot." John and Aeryn said in unison.

"Goodnight Aeryn, Commander." Pilot replied.

Aeryn lay back on their bed as John lay a hand on her leather clad her hip and kissed her deeply. "No interruptions this time huh?"

"Mmm" she replied as she kissed him back half heartedly. She had other things on her mind then lovemaking.

John stopped kissing and stroked her cheek. "Baby? Are you with me? You seem miles away..."

"Miles away?" she asked looking puzzled. "I am right here..."

"No...what I mean is...you don't seem as interested in kissing as I am." He replied, trying to clarify as much as possible.

She shook her head and rolled over. "I just can't right now...I have too many things on my mind." She admitted. She turned her head back to look at him. "Would it be okay if we sniggle?" she asked quietly. She couldn't quite remember what sniggling was, but she knew it was a non-sexual form of loving contact.

John gave a light laugh, "You mean snuggle...sure, come here," he said as he pulled her into his chest and hugged her tightly. He knew Velorek had affected her more than she had originally let on. But then again he thought, Aeryn never really let on to how she was feeling. He kissed the top of her head, "Wanna talk," he asked softly.

She rested her head on his chest and listened to his heartbeat. "I don't want him here...he will probably frell everything up like he did when everyone saw that recording." Aeryn frowned in thought and her forehead crinkled. "He has no idea how long I have been away from the Peacekeepers...no idea how I much I have changed. He may think I am the same woman he once knew. Like I said to Pilot...I'm worried what he might do...I know what he is capable of."

"That's why he is on the top tear, locked in a cell." He stroked her arms and back trying to calm her down.

"You think a cell is going to hold him?" she asked coldly, "He is a Leviathan expert...he will be able to break out of that cell in microts given the chance." She saw the same worried look cross his face. "John... I'm sorry I..." she struggled to find the word.

"Freaked out?" he suggested.

Aeryn nodded, "Yes, freaked out like I did earlier. I guess it was..."

"Hormones?" he asked, as he brushed a stray strand of hair off her face.

She smiled at him softly and cupped his cheek in her right hand, "Partly hormones and partly shock at seeing him again. Being pregnant can really frell your moods. Maybe you are right and Velorek is harmless...I have been over reacting recently."

"I noticed," he teased lightly.

"It's your fault for getting me pregnant..." she retorted light-heartedly.

John smiled, "I didn't get you pregnant...it was the other guy."

"You know it was you... you just don't want to take the blame for my mood swings." She said kissing him lightly.

"And over reactions...like the other day..."

She yawned, "I'm not the only that's been over reacting though."

John sighed. Velorek was still on his mind. He didn't really want to think about Aeryn's ex being anywhere near her. He remembered a time when they were both in a bar on a commerce planet, when a male Sebacean approached her. He became defensive and slightly protective of her. Aeryn had laughed at him, 'John, in some cultures what you are doing is called mate guarding!' she said to him before kissing him deeply and saying 'but it's the females that usually mate guard.' She was right, he did guard her. Any sign of threat from a rival, testosterone would flood his body, even though he knew she'd never even look at another man. He could see she was tired "Baby, its late...maybe we should get some sleep?" he suggested. "It will do us both good. We'll talk to the others about Velorek tomorrow."

Aeryn agreed reluctantly. She would of rather had an intoxicant, but as she was tired she resided herself to undressing and settling down for the night.

It was late into the sleep cycle when Velorek broke from his cell. He wanted to see her. He had to see her. He didn't believe the Nebari about her having a life mate. She would never even consider being the life mate of someone, let alone what she would consider a lesser specie. He quietly wandered down the winding passageways, passed the Luxan's and the Nebari's quarters. Passed the Hynerian's and the weird old woman's. Past the Banik slave's. He stopped outside the quarters of Aeryn Sun. The privacy curtain had fallen and he could see the Nebari girl had been right after all. There she was lying on her side, with her back pressed to her mate's chest. The male had one arm resting by his cheek, and the other draped possessively around her waste. From the shape under the covers, he could tell the male's a bent leg draped over Aeryn's in a possessive manor. They seemed to sigh quietly in their sleep. Taking his chances at being killed, he silently slipped in and sat on the bed next to her. He brushed his hand against her cheek, and it felt as soft as it used to feel. Her hair was smoothed out across the pillow, and he tentatively ran his fingers through it causing a sigh to escape her lips. He watched her intently for what seemed like an arn, before moving her pulse pistol from her bed side, to another table in the quarters. He wanted her to know he'd been there watching her, wanted her to realise how he felt. "They want me to kill the entire crew and take the ship," he whispered to her, "But I will not take your life, and one day you will be thankful that I took you away from these lesser species...and the amount of currency I will be paid will ensure you and I will have a comfortable life together." He traced a finger around the lips of the sleeping female, "In time you will see..." He looked over at the male that was still protectively and possessively guarding her, it was just like a flibbisk protecting its mate before mating. Aeryn was an ex-peacekeeper, unlikely to form emotional attachments. If the male died, then the female within time would seek a new mate. He could easily kill him right now. All it would take would be to quickly and sharply pull the head in an unnatural direction to break the neck. But then it would take longer to win her. This took planning a different way. This would take time. He kissed her forehead lightly and she sighed Crichton's name. "As a Peacekeeper, our love was forbidden, but you know how I felt and I know you felt the same way...away from their conformist attitudes I learnt to love properly...and I will teach you the same."

To Be Continued...


	3. Part 3

John opened his eyes to find Aeryn on the floor. "Honey?" he questioned. "Are you alright?"

She looked up from under their bed. "No... have you seen my pulse pistol? I am sure I left on the table beside me. I always do." She was already up and dressed, her hair tied back into a tight braid and none to happy.

"Baby... come here. Don't I get a cuddle any more?" he said with a lopsided grin.

Aeryn frowned. "Not until I find my pulse pistol!" she growled. "I know it was here... I leave it here for easy reach in case of attack..."

"Well you were pretty tired last night...perhaps..."

"John...just help me find it okay! I need my pulse..." she paused as she spotted it at the far end of their quarters. "My pulse pistol....what the frell is it doing over here?" she asked nobody in particular as she holstered it. "Anyway, get up John; we have important things to discuss in the centre chamber." She said pulling grey sleeping furs off him.

He groaned as his warm semi-naked body felt the cold rush of air. He would rather be snuggled up with Aeryn under the covers at this moment in time but she obviously had other ideas. "Baby... you have to take things easy..." he started to protest, but stopped when she shot him her death stare. "But this is far more important..." he said realising that if he disagreed he'd be in the firing line of a pregnant ex-peacekeeper's mood swing. He slowly slipped out of bed and pulled on a fresh t-shirt and fresh black PK issue underwear. "Okay... I'm up." He replied as he pulled on his pants and gun belt.

"Good." She pressed her comms, "Pilot?"

There was no answer.

"Pilot?" she tried again. "Damn it...the comms are frelled. Just what we need right now." She sighed. "Look, I have to give Velorek his breakfast...you assemble the others in Command and I'll meet you there okay?"

"But I thought you said..." he stopped when Aeryn once again shot him her death stare. "Command it is." He said giving her a kiss on the cheek before walking out of their quarters. He felt today was most definitely not a day to mess with the pregnant ex-peacekeeper what with the things that were going on at the moment. He found himself wondering what would happen if he actually did get on her wrong side. He figured she'd cut off his balls, or tie him up and lock him in their darkened quarters like she had done the previous week. It was six whole arns before anyone found him and he hurt in places he never knew could hurt. No; it was definitely the good idea to stay on the right side of her bad temper and just smile and say 'Sure thing honey!'

Aeryn stood alone in the galley and sloppily arranged some stale food cubes on a tray along with a tankard of water. They were short on food and she wasn't going to waste the limited supply of edible food on him. She found it strange that Chiana and Rygel weren't in the gallery like they usually were at this time of day. Noranti and Stark had already gone ahead in a transport pod to the commerce planet so maybe they had gone with them. As she made her way to the top tier she ran through a list of things to bring up at the meeting such as what to do with their unwelcome visitor, and whether they should trust him and free him. As she approached the cell door her heart began to race and her mouth dried up. She wasn't sure if it was nervousness at how he would react to seeing the one who cost him his career as a Peacekeeper or just plan nervousness of how he would react to the news she had to break to him. She paused for a microt outside the door, wishing that John was with her to give her some support, but she knew she had to do this alone. Pressing her hand to the door release, the door swooshed open and she stepped in. She looked over at Velorek to see him wearing tight and way to revealing leather pants, and no top. His looked just as she remembered him except his muscles had obviously become more toned. "Hello Velorek." She said as calmly as she could. She fell into her Peacekeeper stance, and stood as if she were being addressed by a commanding officer with her back straight and her face facing forward.

Velorek stood up and walked towards her slowly, "Officer Sun..." he paused. "Aeryn...this is a pleasant, if rather unexpected surprise." His face softened ever so slightly. "You are as beautiful as I remember."

"Your breakfast." She said unemotionally. She placed the tray on a table and looked at him briefly. "Sorry its only food cubes, we are running low on food right now."

"That does not matter Aeryn. Sit down...we have a lot to catch up on." He lied. He already knew what had been going on. Through his ship he had listened into communications of Peacekeepers, Scarrens and of course Moya, the subject of many Scarren and Peacekeeper transmissions. He knew that John Crichton was aboard Moya and that together with the rest of the crew and through the help of the Leviathan named Talyn, they had blown up a Gammak Base, leveled a Shadow Depository, destroyed a Command Carrier, and nuked Katratzi.

She moved and sat down on a seat in a corner by a porthole. "Why aren't you dead? You know I was the informant... Crais wanted you executed. How did you manage to survive?"

Velorek sat close to her so she was unable to move without seeming noticeable agitated. "High Command banished me. They said my betrayal to my captain was too great to warrant execution, and that banishment from my kind would be a fitting punishment... but as you know, it was no punishment. I was conscripted against my will and was glad of banishment above the radiation induced living death. And you... you became free too."

"It was not my choice to leave the Peacekeepers. I had become irreversibly contaminated and if it hadn't been for Crichton I would have accepted my punishment. But Crichton showed me I could become more and I did." She paused and then taking his hand in her hand looked into his eyes. "I have something I need to tell you..."

He sprang forward before she could answer and kissed her deeply, "And I feel exactly the same way too..."

"NO!" she found herself shouting, "No...I'm...I...I have a mate. John Crichton is my mate and I am pregnant with his child. We are to marry soon..." She waited to see the reaction on his face and found herself wishing John would walk in right now. To her surprise his face changed from shock to what seemed like acceptance. He actually looked pleased for her.

"Congratulations Aeryn. I knew you would become more. John Crichton is a lucky man."

Aeryn tried to arrange the thoughts in her head. He was pleased for her? "Um...thank you." She replied.

"So how long has the embryo been released from its stasis?" he asked. Deep down he wasn't pleased and wanted Crichton to drop dead, but he knew if he hurt him she would kill him and any hopes of there ever being a relationship with it. This took planning of a different kind.

"Um...about a monen and a half." She answered.

"Ah." Was the simple reply that made her feel uneasy. "Not long then?"

"No..."

"Good." He said as he injected her with a dark purple serum making her feel instantly hot and woozy. "Do not worry. This will not harm your child and I promise I won't take advantage of you when this takes effect. You won't remember a thing...well at least not from the past four cycles. That is how long you have known John Crichton is it not?"

Aeryn tried to speak but couldn't move. Her body temperature was rising rapidly, just as Velorek had hoped for. She tried to move but found herself unable, and instead ended up flat on her back. She could feel her memories slipping away as she succumbed to a rapid form of heat delirium. Even if she could speak, the comms were down, and she realised now that Velorek was the one to blame. Her last thoughts were of John and their baby as she succumbed to the blackness.

Velorek lifted the unconscious body up and escaping the cell, placed her in quarters two tiers down, in a place where she was sure to be found and administered a shot of a dark green serum. "In time my love." He whispered kissing her forehead and making his way back to his quarters, making sure to hide any evidence that lead to him.

John and D'argo had been waiting in Command for over an arn. "You know D, she should be here by now... and so should Chi and Sparky. Maybe we should go look for them?"

D'argo nodded in agreement. "You are right. I will look for Chiana and Rygel, you look for Aeryn. I will take tier 4 – 6 and you take tier 1-3. We will meet back here in an arn. I have spoken to Pilot and it seems surveillance is down as well as the comms."

"Damn... you think its got something to do with our guest?" John asked, moving his hand to rest on Winona.

"No...he cannot do much from his cell."

"Right." He replied rushing off. "If you find them before the arns up, come and find me." He shouted. It was unlike Aeryn to go missing like this. "Okay Johnny. Start from the top and work your way down." He said to himself. He didn't know why he was worrying. She was probably talking Peacekeeper politics with Velorek and discussing tactics in case of being drawn into battle. He stopped outside Velorek's cell and peered in. "Yo V! You seen Aeryn today?"

"Officer Sun was here briefly to give me these stale food cubes and water then she said she felt unwell and was heading for the tier below."

John flashed a smile; maybe the guy wasn't so bad after all. "Thanks" he quickly replied and running down to tier two he searched every cell. He finally came to the last cell on that tier and found Aeryn lying on the floor. "AERYN." He yelled and rushed over to her. He placed a hand on her cheek and it was hot to the touch. "No..." he whispered weakly. "Aeryn...Aeryn baby. Don't leave me. Please don't leave me..."

Slowly a moan escaped her body and she opened her eyes slowly. Everything was a blur and she had no idea where she was. It looked like a Leviathan but she couldn't really be sure. "Who are you?" she asked, not recognising the face above her. "Are you my Captain? Where am I and why am I out of uniform?"

"You have heat delirium Aeryn." He said brushing back the stray strands of hair that stuck to her face with sweat. "You were unconscious... I just hope the baby is okay."

Aeryn sprung to her feet. "What are you talking about? Where the frell am I? What baby? Who are you?" she took a swing for John, but she was still weak and fell to the floor.

"Crichton." D'argo said from behind him, "I found Chiana and Rygel. They were in their quarters but don't remember why they didn't get up this morning." He then glanced over at Aeryn. "Is..."

"She's got amnesia from heat delirium." Was a reply from behind them both. Velorek was standing there. "You left my cell door open and I heard you calling." He said walking over to Aeryn. "I was a med tech once. Let me take a look." He was relieved that Crichton was so worried he hadn't noticed the blatant lie. He had escaped just in time. "Aeryn...can you hear me?" he asked.

"Lieutenant?" she groaned as she opened her eyes. "Where are we? What happened? Did the Scarrens attack?"

"We are on Moya, Aeryn. You had sudden heat delirium. How are you feeling?"

She smiled up at him, "Like dren" she sat up slowly and wrapped her arms around his shoulders and kissed him softly. "You saved my life..." she whispered, "Thank you." As she noticed John approaching she moved behind Velorek. "He caused this... I remember. He took us prisoner when we left the Peacekeepers..." She said weakly. "Keep him away from me and our baby."

To Be Continued...


	4. Part 4

John's face dropped. "Aeryn...don't you remember?" he asked sadly. He wasn't going to lose her again. He couldn't... all these cycles of pain and rejection. Loving someone who he knew loved him back, but would never do anything about it for fear. He wanted to wrap her up in his arms and make her remember all the good times and the bad; make her remember the other guy on Talyn if he had to. Anything to stop him from losing her all over again. He looked into her grey eyes which seemed to have lost their sparkle. "You have to remember... please,"

"Frell you...When I get out of here I will kill you." she hissed. Hormones that flooded her body confused her. She wasn't sure if what she could remember about the past four cycles was real or not, but something inside her told her that something was terribly wrong. For a start she was scared and worried; a feeling that was familiar, but also felt wrong to a Peacekeeper. She recognised the face of John, but instead of seeing him as her lover, saw him as her captor, and Velorek, her former lover and captor as her current lover and father of her child. She felt trapped and alone and was now unsure of Velorek the man she thought to be her current mate. As she tried to make sense of things, her surroundings blurred in front of her and she fell to the floor.

John rushed to his fallen lover's side, "Aeryn..." he whispered hoarsely. "Don't leave me... I know you're in there somewhere, just wake up." He placed a soft kiss on her lips that caused her to rouse and lovingly stroked her soft dark hair.

Everything seemed blurry as she opened her eyes. She could just make out her lover standing over her. "John? What...the...what the frell am I doing down here?" she asked, slowly remembering what had happened. Suddenly everything came rushing back. Adrenaline surged through her body, giving her renewed strength. Pulling her gun from her holster she stood up quickly. "You..." she growled, shakily aiming at Velorek. "I'd shoot you now but we need information on who you're working for and what you've done to Moya and our friends..." she hissed. She was amazed that she once loved this man, this man that clamed to love her and did this.

"How the frell...?" Velorek's shock gave way to a menacing look toward Crichton who Aeryn was now guarding. "Not until you become my mate instead of this... this lesser specie's mate. You know there is still something between us... I saw it in your eyes. You still feel that passion the Peacekeepers tried to stop developing. You still have that burning desire in your heart for a Sebacean male's touch... my touch. You know that nobody could love you like I can... you know that this...human has no idea of what turns a Sebacean woman on, what makes her gasp with pleasure. You know that you'd get ten times the pleasure from me than from him..."

"Finished?" She asked coldly. She shook her head, "Then you should know unless you co-operate you will be in that cell for a very long time... but as you should also know I'm pregnant, then you will know I get violent mood swings, especially if my mate or friends are threatened. And you should know Crichton has been the most fulfilling frell I have ever had and is ten times better than you in bed."

"Aeryn!" John growled through embarrassment, but was silenced by a violent kiss from her lips that made him wince slightly. She was in a mood that scared even him, so her resided himself to just standing in silence for the time being.

She glared bitterly at Velorek; hatred replacing the love that had once ran through her veins. "You should also know I have never loved anyone like I have Crichton and that I would do anything...and I mean anything for him. I would die for him because he is my friend, lover and my soul mate... the one thing in this violent universe that gives me hope... He has taught me the real meaning of love far more than you ever could..." Her voice began to break with emotion.

John wanted to back away from Aeryn. She had teased him about mate guarding, but now looking at her now she didn't need it and she was protecting him. She had a cold hard glare in her eyes, and spoke like the Peacekeeper she once was, and he was frightened of what she could and would do if anyone got on her wrong side at this moment. "Remind me never to get on your bad side while you're pregnant," he muttered to himself.

She turned and glared at him before turning her attentions back to Velorek. "...therefore if you do not decide to co-operate in the next twenty four arns I will kill you for putting my relationship with Crichton at risk." She waved her hand over the door controls to lock it. "Oh and don't think you can escape, you will be watched constantly from now. Crichton will take first watch."

"But..." John started to protest, but stopped quickly when she gave him an icy glare. "Understood." He replied. He'd never seen Aeryn display her feelings like that, be it in a threatening way and towards someone else. He couldn't help smile slightly, 'Now if she'd only say it to my face' he thought.

Aeryn had been sitting alone in the centre chamber for two arns trying to calm herself down and didn't notice when D'argo joined her. When she wasn't spending time with John she was spending it alone or with Pilot. Things had changed so much over the past four cycles and she secretly reminisced about the past. Even John had changed so much she sometimes wondered if he was the same man she had fallen in love with; but that thought was put right by a kiss or a hug. She realised she wasn't alone and smiled up at the Luxan weakly, glad of the company. "What happened to me? John won't tell me anything other than I was unconscious and had amnesia." She took a sip of spicy Sebacean tea from the tankard in her hands. "He's treating me...differently. It's like he's protecting me from something."

"He's just worried about you," D'argo replied, "You're pregnant with his child, its only natural for him to be protective of you."

She sighed, "I sometimes wish he'd treat me like he used to...before...this." She said placing a hand on her abdomen. "If anything, I still feel protective of him."

"I remember when Lo'laan was pregnant with Jothee. I didn't stop worrying about her until she had given birth."

"I'm nowhere near that stage... I have at least eight and a half monens left..." she snapped slightly. She hated everyone fussing about her pregnancy and half wished she'd never released it from stasis. She took another sip of her tea before changing the subject. "So how are Chiana and Rygel doing? Any ideas to what Velorek did to them?"

"It just seems like he used a drug to bring on extreme exhaustion. They are in their quarters sleeping it off at the moment. Unfortunately Noranti and Stark will be gone for a few solar days so we have no idea what the frell he used on them and we have no one on board with any medical expertise other than Velorek, and he is unlikely to help."

Aeryn nodded, "For once I agree with you... I have no idea how I recovered from the amnesia..."

"And we can't find out without Noranti," D'argo noted. He placed a comforting hand on Aeryn's arm, "If you wish I will take over from Crichton, you look like you could use your mate with you at the moment."

She shook her head and finished tea. "I'd rather you didn't... I don't think I could cope with Crichton's over protectiveness at this time." She got up and reached for a large tankard of something from a shelf. "Perhaps you would share some Raslak with me? Crichton hates me drinking, even though I have explained Sebacean's can during the early stages of pregnancy and it won't affect the development of the foetus." She poured herself a cup full and sat back down next to D'argo. As she swallowed down a mouthful of the warm intoxicant she closed her eyes, momentarily forgetting everything that was plaguing her mind. "Frell..." she winced. "It's good stuff..."

D'argo nodded, "Perhaps I will. There is always time for Raslak."

Crichton sat outside Velorek's cell playing with his silver slinky. 'At least it's something to do' he thought. He looked at Velorek who had been watching him for the past couple of arns. "You know, you're lucky Aeryn didn't kill you... she may only be a monen or so pregnant but her mood swings are frightening. Only last weeken she locked me tied up in a darkened cell as a punishment for a small mistake I made... still... she could have tied you up, stripped you and chopped off you balls. She'd probably enjoy that. You know what? I bet right now, she's planning how to kill you in a way she can get pleasure from it! That is unless you decide to co-operate and tell us who you are working for and what you did to Aeryn and our friends..."

"Fine... I'll talk. Handcuff me and take me to her..." Velorek replied bitterly. He hated this lesser specie, and the way it was talking to him. He wanted him out of the way. The human, as Aeryn had called him had taken away his mate, had frelled up his plans for taking over the ship, killing the crew and taking Aeryn as his mate. Nothing would keep him from Aeryn. He'd make sure of that one way or another. Placing his hand on a concealed knife he had stolen he waited for him to approach.

"Good." John replied. "Turn around," he said pressing the door release without thinking. Quick as a flash Velorek lunged forward and stabbed him in the stomach. Pain shot through his body as he felt blood soaking his t-shirt. He tried to press down hard on the wound, but his body was becoming rapidly weak. "Aeryn..."

"...Crichton?" The comms crackled into life. "John, the comms are back online... what's going on down there?" No answer. "John? Can you hear me? Are you still there?" A chill ran down her spine, "Frell," she cursed to herself. "D'argo... Crichton's in trouble. Come on..." she said as she ran out of the door. "Just hang on in there..." she yelled into her comms as she sprinted down the winding corridors to her injured lover's side. She knew immediately Velorek had something do to with it. As she knelt by the side of her sick mate, she felt a shiver run through him. "You've been stabbed, try not to move..." She tried hard to stem the bleeding but she was worried that something else was wrong.

"Aeryn... what happened?" D'argo asked, seeing Aeryn kneeling beside John's lifeless body.

"D'argo! John's been stabbed and I have a very good idea who's to blame. Would you help me carry him to our quarters?" she asked.

"I'll do it, you find Velorek," he replied, picking up Crichton in his strong arms. "Don't worry... I won't let him die."

Aeryn nodded. "Thank you D'argo. And when I find Velorek I will kill him."

As he watched the Luxan carry the human from the corridor he emerged from the darkness. "Officer Sun... I'd put that pulse pistol away if I were you. You see not only did I stab your mate but I poisoned him. Right now a slow acting poison is shutting down each of his bodily systems and there is nothing you can do about it. And do you know why? Because I developed the poison for the Peacekeepers to use as torture to make the victim speak, and only I know the cure. Unless you co-operate your mate will die in four solar days."

To Be Continued.


	5. Part 5

Aeryn glared at Velorek aiming her pulse pistol at his head. "No... I don't believe you," she said shaking her head angrily. "There's nothing in it for you..."

"Aeryn... you are still so naïve. You are still in the box the Peacekeepers put you in," Velorek teased as he walked slowly towards her. He realised now she would do anything for the human but what he had in mind would certainly destroy the relationship once and for all, besides death had that effect on relationships. And he would sit back and enjoy watching

"I am not naïve..." she replied bitterly still aiming the pulse pistol at him. She tried hard not to move but with Velorek approaching she took a step back. "Stay away from me. I will kill you," she threatened, moving her finger over the trigger.

Velorek smiled, "Ah..." he sighed, "...empty threats Officer Sun. Empty threats. You and I both know you won't kill me... you love your mate far too much to do that. In fact, I would even make a bet with you... I bet that you are willing to do anything to ensure your mate survives. I am correct aren't I?"

She tried to blink back tears that threatened to roll down her cheeks, "I still don't believe you..." she answered hoarsely. "There has to be a cure..."

"Go and see for yourself. Right now he will be breaking out into a fever... an unbreakable fever. As for the cure... If you co-operate with all my needs then I will give it to you."

"No... Peacekeeper lies." she replied in a whisper that was barely audible. "No..." She turned and ran down the corridors and into her quarters that she shared with her lover and saw immediately that Velorek was indeed telling the truth. John lay on their bed in his underwear, sweating and shivering at the same time. He was hot to the touch and shivered at Aeryn's soft touch. "John... what has he done to you?" she cried softly. "He was right..."

He looked up at Aeryn and smiled weakly. "Hey baby...did ya kill the bad guy?"

Aeryn shook her head sadly and sat on the bed beside him and stroked his forehead and cheeks tenderly. "No... I couldn't. You've been poisoned... and only he knows the cure. If we don't cooperate with him then..." she paused and bit her lip to try and stop herself from crying.

John reached up with all the strength he had left and stroked her cheek, brushing away a few tears that had escaped her eyes, "What...? Tell me. Please Aeryn... you know you can tell me anything."

She took his hand and nuzzled it and then clenching it tightly in hers, she sighed deeply. "...then... in four solar days, you will die..." Her mind flashed back to Talyn and John in so much pain dying in her arms. It was a place she didn't want to go back to again. The flash backs and the insurmountable grief almost forced her to secretly take her own life, just to be free of the pain she felt. If it to her happened again, then she'd almost certainly go on a kamikaze mission in her prowler after killing Velorek in a way that would make him suffer in pain.

"Give him what he wants..." he whispered weakly. "It doesn't matter what..."

Aeryn swallowed, "Are you sure?" she asked, noticing that his brilliant blue eyes had lost their shine, and the cheeky stare that seemed to be permanently fixed on them since she'd said yes to marriage.

He looked up at her and brought her hand to his lips kissing it gently. "Aeryn... we're engaged and I want to marry you... I wanna make love to you every night... you're pregnant with our first child... I want to... I have to live to see him..."

"Her" she corrected in a teasing way.

John smiled, "...her born and hopefully one day we can have more. Honey... I'm thirty four years old... I'm still young but I want to grow old with you... you have to do what he wants. What's the worst he could want?" he asked both her and D'argo who had been listening to the conversation at the corner of their quarters.

"Aeryn... I hate to agree with Crichton, but he is right. If we don't cooperate who knows what he may do."

All of her insides tightened as anger bubbled away inside her, "I knew... I just knew it would happen. We should never have let him aboard.... but we did... we did because we thought he may cooperate with an ex-lover who betrayed him to Captain Crais who High Command had him banished. And it turns out this psycho has spent every waking moment of the day thinking about how to get me back and now... now he hurts my mate... the one single thing I care about most in the universe and I have to cooperate with him? We should have spaced him when we had the chance!"

D'argo moved next to Aeryn, "It is not your fault. If I remember you wanted to starburst, but I insisted he may be able to help us. But we must do what he asks, for all our sakes. Aeryn, you are the only one he will talk to so it will have to be you that has to inform him we agree to his terms... I will inform Chiana and Rygel that our guest has turned nasty. It is just a grave misfortune that Noranti and Stark aren't here to come up with an elixir to ease Crichton's suffering."

Velorek smiled slyly at Aeryn who gazed into his cell with a mixture of anger and sadness. "Well?" he asked.

"Everyone agrees.... We will see to your requests and in exchange I want you to give me the antidote to the poison." She couldn't even look at him. All these cycles thinking he was dead. But now all the feelings that had still existed the past cycles had turned into hatred and disgust. The one thing she couldn't understand was if he really loved her, why was he doing this?

"Ah good... well firstly... instead of this small cell, I'd like some proper quarters that I can come and go from as I please and secondly I would like something to eat and drink other than food cubes and water. Some Sebacean mint stew and some raslak may be nice."

"Is that all?" she asked coldly.

"For the time being." Velorek replied, obviously enjoying the power he had over her. 'If only Aeryn would leave her mate and go away with him then this wouldn't have had to happen,' he thought to himself. In a way he hated what he was doing to her, but she had insulted him by becoming the mate of a lesser specie and had to pay. He would get her one way or another... it was only a matter of time.

Aeryn said nothing, but lead him down three tiers to some relatively large quarters, "Will this do?"

Velorek entered inspecting it, "Nice size, good storage, privacy curtain and... a good bed," he said eyeing Aeryn. An idea shot into his mind that was only to perfect. She would do anything for John, but he'd have to wait until she was desperate to save him. "So... what about some food? Shall I follow you to the centre chamber?"

"If you wish..." she muttered. She used to love the way Velorek stared at her. It made her tingle inside, but now it sent shivers down her spine. The loving look was still there but it was cold and envious. She never realised Velorek could be jealous... Crais perhaps, but not Velorek. She half wondered why she'd bothered rejecting Crais all those cycles back. If she'd slept with him instead of spurning him for Velorek, then Crichton would be fit and healthy right now. 'You can't change the past' she told herself. Aeryn kept one hand on her pulse pistol, and her eyes fixed on Velorek's shadow. If anything else happened to John she'd kill him and find an antidote herself.

The centre chamber was empty, and Velorek sat down, "I request that you eat with me..."

"I'm not hungry." She replied grimly. Just the thought of eating made her feel nauseous. The thought of eating with him made the nausea worse.

"Very well... it's your mate's life you're jeopardising."

"Fine." She placed the stew in front of Velorek and poured him a cup of raslak, and sat at the other end of the table from him. He repulsed her and doing what he wanted made her feel sick. She poured herself a cup of raslak and swallowed it down quickly before pouring herself another one and finishing it off just as fast. "I have to go..." she said, without looking at him.

"Oh yes?" Velorek asked, raising an eyebrow. "But you've hardly touched your food."

"I realise that, but I have to attend my dying fiancé." She said, grabbing a damp towel on the way out trying to ignore all her instincts that said 'Shoot him.'

"I don't know how much more I can take." She said sadly. She could already see he was deteriorating rapidly, and she did her best to keep him cool with the wet towel, but it didn't seem to have much of an effect. "You know... I've given him better quarters, freedom to roam the ship, better food and he still hasn't given me the antidote... what does it take?" She kissed his lips softly and held him in her arms the best she could so that he was comfortable. "I always thought we'd never be together... but we are, and we will be forever... you promised me. And I promise you I will do what I can to save your life..." She could feel John clutch on to her arm with the little strength he had.

"Baby... I love you," he managed to choke out, before falling unconscious.

"I love you too..." she whispered quietly into his ear. "I just wish there was something I can do..." She hadn't noticed Velorek standing at the door watching her.

"It seems the poison is working faster than planed. Perhaps he only has thirty six arns at the most left." He smiled. He enjoyed watching John die. If he died, Aeryn would be his within time. The famed John Crichton... scourge of the Uncharted Territories, the Peacekeepers and Scarrens was now just a weak pathetic piece of flesh. "You wish there was something you could do, do you Officer Sun?"

Tears that had been welling up inside for so long fell. "Anything..." she said weakly. "I'll do anything, just give me the antidote and save his life." She pleaded, still holding her dying lover in her arms.

"I am afraid it doesn't work like that... you give me something and in return I will cure your... mate," he said in a tone of aversion. He couldn't wait to see the reaction on Aeryn's face when he asked what he was about to ask. He knew if she agreed... no_ when_ she agreed, it would cause the break up of her relationship and Crichton would never forgive her. She'd agree. She'd have to if she wanted the antidote.

"Alright... whatever you want. You can have it." She would keep her promise to Crichton and do whatever Velorek wished of her. He approached and brushed her cheek causing her to knock it away violently, "Don't touch me." She hissed. "Just tell me what you want and I'll get it for you."

"What I want?" he questioned thoughtfully, already knowing the answer. The answer he'd planned for. "I will tell you what I want Officer Sun." he said circling the bed which she and unconscious John lye on. "I will tell you what I want... What I've wanted all these cycles, what I've loved and wanted since I got here, what I wanted but couldn't have..." he could see Aeryn's look of pure disgust as if she already knew the answer but didn't dare say it. "I want you. And if you want the human to live, then you will give yourself to me."

Aeryn shook her head with horror, "No... You're insane. I'd never ever give myself to you. I'd rather suffer from heat delirium..." Tears filled her eyes, "How can you even ask me for this? If you love me like you say you do, then you would never even suggest it. Do you really think I'll give myself to you?" she questioned.

"I think you love John Crichton... I think you will do anything to save him..."

"You frelling bastard... That's why you stabbed him wasn't it? You stabbed him with the poison coated blade so I would sleep with you for the antidote?"

Velorek smiled, "Perhaps you are not as naïve as I first thought. You have twenty four arns to decide, after that your mate will be incurable and I will set about killing your friends too. Believe me Aeryn, I am sorry. But unfortunately this is the only way. I am sure I will see you later." He gave a brief conceited smile, before walking out of their quarters.

To Be Continued...


	6. Part 6

Aeryn had been sitting alone on one of the lower tiers of Moya for what seemed like arns. She was thankful Rygel had decided to get his eema off the ship and go looking for Noranti and Stark, without making things worse, and that D'argo was attending John to give her a break. She sat with her back pressed to the wall and her head in her arms sobbing deeply. No one ever realised she cried except Crichton, Pilot and Moya. If she needed to cry she'd go down to the lowest tier as far away from the crew as possible so she could be alone. Velorek's request hadn't quite sunk in; sleep with him for the antidote. Her deep sobs soon subsided and turned into anger, and she kicked some debris which was sent flying down the corridor. "FRELL YOU VELOREK!" she yelled. "FRELL YOU!" She found an old Peacekeeper punch bag in some empty captain's quarters and decided it was the perfect target for her growing anger. She kicked and punched it repeatedly, over and over again relieving all the tension and stress building inside, but even though her knuckles started to bleed it didn't do much. Once again, Velorek had caused her to punch a punch bag until her hands bled. She let out an anguished cry and kicked the worn out bag so hard it split sending fluff flying everywhere.

"Feel better?"

Aeryn spun round, "Frell off Chiana," she spat. She wasn't in the mood for company. Right now she'd much rather be left alone to scream, shout, kick and punch everything in sight. It wouldn't cure John or turn back the clock but it'd sure as hezmena make her feel better.

"Whatever. I just figured you needed to talk, and seeing as Crichton is ill..."

"Sorry. I'm just feeling stressed... and no it's not my hormones." She replied bitterly.

"Well something's wrong... I haven't seen you that angry in a long time... uh... you've made a mess of your hands, you should clean them before they scar..." Chiana stuttered, trying at least to make some form of conversation with the angry Sebacean.

Aeryn sunk to the floor and buried her head in her arms once again. "I don't know how much more I can take... Velorek..."

Chiana smiled sympathetically and sat next to her, "He made John sick right?"

Aeryn nodded, "He has the antidote, and unless..."

"Unless what?" Chiana persisted.

"Unless I sleep with him..."

"What?" the Nebari girl exclaimed, "Are you fekkik? John will never forgive you..."

Aeryn's eyes watered. Taking a gulp of air she sighed deeply and sadly. "I have to Chiana... I can't just sit back and watch John die in my arms again..." she exclaimed. Tears welled up in her eyes, "I have to do this... I know that it will probably end our relationship, but I love him Chiana, I love him and I would do anything... absolutely anything to save his life. I would die for him... I have died for him, and if sleeping with Velorek is the only way I'll get the antidote I will do it... I will do it because I love John more than I have loved anyone in my life." A single tear rolled down her cheek, "...and then Velorek will have what he has wanted since he got here and my relationship with John will be over... and I will have lost a friend as well as a lover."

"Isn't there any other way? What if I slept with him? He's pretty cute, even if he is a psycho..."

Aeryn laughed sarcastically, "You Chiana? To him you are a lesser specie... if he was still a Peacekeeper he'd frell you for the sake of it; you'd be a trophy frell... a Nebari tralk," she said, emphasising the last word, "But right now if you offered yourself he'd take pleasure in killing you."

Chiana's eyes widened, "Really? He'd do that?"

"Yes... he would," she replied coldly. "If you want to do something for me Chiana, keep D'argo busy and look after John for the next couple of arns. I have to get the antidote. And promise me one thing... when John wakes up, please don't tell him what I did to get it..."

"Yeah Aeryn... I promise."

Aeryn wandered slowly towards Velorek's quarters. The thought of Velorek touching her made her skin crawl and now she had to recreate with this creep. She dried her eyes outside his quarters before pressing the door release to let herself in. "You know why I'm here..." she said solemnly.

The corners of Velorek's mouth turned into a sly smile, "Ah yes. You want the antidote, am I correct?" he asked. Slowly he approached Aeryn and reached over her to pull the privacy curtain closed.

"Just give me the antidote and we can get on with this..." she replied, trying to keep any emotions buried deeply inside.

"Not until you sleep with me. That was the deal... you sleep with me I give you the antidote, not the other way around."

Aeryn shut her eyes tightly, trying to pull the image of John into her head, "Just get on with it," she mumbled.

Velorek stroked her soft cheek, "You won't get the antidote talking to me like that. I want you to make love to me as if you were making love to him."

Aeryn's eyes shot wide open, "No..." she whispered.

"Fine." Velorek said turning away, "Then you shall get no antidote and your mate John Crichton will die."

"Okay..." she said weakly. "Okay..."

Velorek's smile returned. "Come here..." he said pulling her towards the bed, "I'm not going to hurt you..." He slowly stripped of Aeryn's vest and gently caressed her breasts, causing her to shudder with repulsion. The nausea began building rapidly with every kiss and nibble he took, and she fought to keep it down. "Now this isn't too bad, is it Aeryn?" he asked softly, but she didn't answer. He took her hands in his and sucked each finger one by one causing the earlier wounds to sting, before sliding her hand down his pants. "That's what you do to me Aeryn... you always have." He sat on the bed and pulled her onto him and forced hard kisses on her mouth that nearly made her throw up. Soon he was lying on top of Aeryn, totally naked against her semi-clothed body. Slowly he slid down her body and brushed his hands over her hips, sliding her pants and underwear off in the process. "I've been waiting for this for a long time... perhaps this will help you loosen up..." he said, injecting her with a drug of some kind.

Aeryn winced as the liquid coursed through her veins. She could feel herself loosing all control of the situation, Velorek could do what the hezmena he wanted and she could do nothing about it. She shut her eyes as tightly as she could and tried to black everything out, but she could feel him touching her in all the places John touched her, kissing her in all the places John touched her and every movement he made inside her.

"Kiss me Aeryn," Velorek gasped, before covering her mouth violently with his.

She could feel his tongue almost choking her. He didn't kiss her the way John did. John was sensitive and loving. John made sure he didn't suffocate her with his tongue and he made sure she was comfortable with the pace of things. Velorek was not the man she remembered. She wondered what had happened to the gentle lover she knew all those cycles back. She didn't need to open her eyes to know what Velorek was doing to her, she could see it clearly in her head and feel him all over her body. She could feel him biting her ear hard, biting her neck and breasts, and licking her stomach. She was actually glad when she felt him climax inside her.

Velorek rolled off and stroked her tearstained cheek. "I can't say you made love to me like you make love to John, but you kept your side of the bargain, and I will keep mine. I am not the cruel man you think I have become," he said handing over a small silver bottle. "Oh and by the way, I moved your pulse pistol the other night... I wanted you to know I'd been watching you."

Aeryn snatched it out of his hand without a word, and dressed quickly. As she stepped out of his quarters she threw up before locking him in. She felt sick, dirty and degraded. All she wanted was for her mate to hold her, but she knew he probably never would again. As she walked towards the quarters where her sick lover lay, she wondered what she'd do when Crichton found out. Walking into her quarters, she saw D'argo sitting on the bed beside him, and Chiana in the corner watching. "I have the antidote," she said weakly.

"What did you do to get him to give you this?" D'argo asked.

Aeryn shook her head, "Just a little bargaining," she replied. "Would you give this to him? I have to do something."

"Of course Aeryn. At least John will be back to his old self and you can get on with wedding preparations."

Aeryn smiled faintly and rushed down the corridors to the bathing area. As she stripped off and stepped into the warm flowing water of the shower she let out an anguished cry and punched the cubical wall hard causing a sickening crunch to be heard and her earlier wounds to reopen. The pain felt good and with it she momentarily forgot about Velorek. But now she would never be rid of Velorek after he had defiled her in such a way. All of her resilience, and fight had now left her body and she was an emotional mess that she wanted nobody to see. She grabbed some soap and a sponge and scrubbed at her body hard, no matter how hard she scrubbed she couldn't get rid of the dirty feeling on her body Velorek had made her feel. Tears mingled with the shower water that flowed over her body and she felt weak and tired. Half of her wanted to get off Moya before John found out the truth and went looking for her in a rage. The other half wanted to confess all to John; for him to shoot her for betraying him just so she could get the images of Velorek from her head. Velorek was probably happily sleeping off a frell right now, please with himself for momentarily getting his ex-lover back.

John's eyes flickered open to see two blurry figures standing in front of him. "Aeryn?" he asked, "Baby... is that you? Did you get the antidote?" All he wanted now he was awake was to hold Aeryn in his arms. To kiss and embrace her, to reassure her everything was alright. But something seemed very wrong, and he couldn't quite tell what.

"No old man! It's D'argo and Chi." Chiana smiled.

"Hey Pip, Hey D! Where's Aeryn?" he asked as his vision became clear, "Is she okay? Did that son of a bitch hurt her?"

"She is fine my friend, but I must go. It has been a long few days and I need to rest and revitalise." D'argo replied, unknowing as to the sacrifice Aeryn had made for her mate.

"Thanks D," John replied. He noticed Chiana seemed unusually quiet. "Hey Chi... what's wrong? Has something happened to Aeryn that you ain't telling us?"

"Uh... no... Why should there be? I haven't seen her, I swear to you Crichton..." she stammered. She'd promised Aeryn she wouldn't say anything to Crichton, and with Aeryn's mood swings the way they were at the moment she was reluctant to tell the truth. Aeryn would probably shoot her dead if she found out. "Ask Aeryn..." she replied.

John's eyes watered, fearing the worst, "Please... tell me. Has Aeryn lost the baby? Has that bastard hurt her in any way? Please Chiana... tell me."

"But Aeryn will kill me..." she blurted out.

He began to get agitated. He just wanted to know if Aeryn was alright, but it seemed everyone was keeping something from him which frustrated him no end. "No she won't."

"Well..." Chiana hesitated for a minute before blurting it out, "Aeryn wanted to tell you herself and she made me promise not to tell you. Velorek poisoned you and wanted things in return for your cure but..."

"Whoa Pip... slow down," he said, gently sitting her down on the bed. "Now start again from the beginning... what did Aeryn want you to do?"

"When Velorek stabbed you, in return for the antidote, he wanted bigger quarters, food and freedom to roam the ship... but that wasn't enough. He wanted Aeryn to sleep with him, but Aeryn said no at first but then changed her mind..." she looked at John, whose eyes filled with tears. "She did it for you... because she loves you. She told me not to tell you... she wanted to tell you herself but was afraid... I reckon he really hurt her..."

John felt his heart snap. He hadn't heard the words after 'she said no at first but then changed her mind.' His lover.... his fiancé had betrayed him. He wondered how he could ever trust Aeryn again. "She shouldn't have done it... she should have just let me die... where is she?" he asked bitterly.

"I dunno Crichton... try the lower tiers."

Aeryn sat in a shadowy part of the lowest tier possible, hoping nobody would find her the way she was looking and feeling now. She shivered slightly as she lay on a damp bed. She felt dead inside. The tears and the anger had dried up and there was seemingly nothing left to feel. The remaining physical and mental strength had vanished and all she really wanted was a few words and a kiss of reassurance from Crichton, but she realised she was unlikely to feel that ever again. She felt like there was nothing left of the former strong person she once was, just a frail and emotionless shell. 'John will never ever forgive me for this' she thought to herself. 'And my child... how will she be able to look at me when her father tells her what a tralk her mother is,' Aeryn sighed deeply, and pulling her pulse pistol from its holster aimed it at her head. As she was about to squeeze the trigger, pulse fire knocked it out of her hand.

"Aeryn... you and I need to talk," a voice said sternly.

To Be Continued...


	7. Part 7 Conclusion

Aeryn rolled over to face the portal and stared out blankly. She couldn't face John after what she had done. The guilt was insurmountable, and she wished he hadn't shown up when he did as death would have been an easy way out.

"What the frell did you think you were doing?! You do realise you are carrying my child don't you? I mean suicide? For God sake... you frelled Velorek...it was your decision... I didn't make you but you go and try something as stupid as ending it all... couldn't you live with the guilt? 'Cos you know what? I don't think I could live with your betrayal... you betrayed me Aeryn. You promised yourself to me and as soon as I'm not around you go and frell another man. Perhaps that was your plan was it? Get Velorek to kill me so you wouldn't have to marry me and have a child and then you two could go off and you could be Peacekeepers again..."

Aeryn flew off the bed and lunged at Crichton, pushing him against the wall. "You bastard..." she hissed. "Do you really think I would get Velorek to kill you so I could be with him? After all these cycles? What I did, I did for you... I couldn't sit back and watch you die in my arms just like before. I want you and I want your child... and you know what... I am guilty for what I've done and no I don't think I can live with myself. So if you'll kindly go, I'll end it so you won't have to look at me and feel betrayed. Okay?!"

John stood gob-smacked and his eyes filled with tears. "Aeryn..." His voice softened. He tried to stroke her cheek, but she pushed him away with a violent shove.

"Don't touch me!" Aeryn snarled. She had always thought Crichton loved her and hoped that he'd understand, but her first fears seemed to be confirmed. John hated her more than she used to hate lesser species when she was a Peacekeeper. "Just stay the frell away." She had known John would be angry with her, but the amount of anger he had shown had surprised her. She half wished he'd pulled his gun on her and shot her dead; it was what she deserved. She stood in a corner staring at him. "Just go... please."

"I'm sorry..." he replied weakly. "I'm real sorry..." he tried to pull Aeryn into his arms but she moved further away again. He'd been so caught up in his anger he hadn't realised the hurtful things he'd said. He hadn't even thought about what had happened and the reasons. 'Man I feel bad' he thought to himself, realising that she had willingly risked their loving relationship just to save his pathetic life. "I'm not angry at you... I mean you must have been pretty distraught to try and... you know..." he paused and walked over to the bed and sat down. "... You know who I'm really angry with? Myself... I should have realised what would happen... and I'm angry at Velorek for what he has done to you..."

"Really?" she asked brushing a tear away from her eye quickly. She sat next to him on the bed and took his hand, "I... I really did do it for you..."

"Shh... I know. You don't need to explain anything to me. Now come closer and let me warm you up. It's damn cold down here." He said as he pulled her into his chest. He smiled as he felt her wriggle closer. He wanted to protect her and take away the pain he knew she was feeling. "I do love you, you know."

Aeryn sighed deeply, "I love you too, but why do things keep screwing up for us?" Truth was she honestly didn't know how much more the relationship with John could stand. Perhaps this was the very last chance they had to get things right, and she hoped John would forgive her and trust her enough to give it one last try.

"I guess fate just likes screwing us around."

Aeryn shook her head, "No... No... I'm going to stop believing in fate. If keep believing in fate, then I will keep hoping that things will go right for us. I don't want to spend the rest of my life hoping fate won't screw up our relationship... I figure we should make our own fate and then I know our relationship will survive."

John smiled and kissed the top of her head lightly, "I never really thought of it like that... you know for someone who uses muscle more than brains that was pretty insightful. Perhaps you're right... perhaps there is no such thing as fate and we are to blame for our relationship screwing up. I mean... fate has taken far too many shots at screwing up our happiness... perhaps it's not fate, but it's us thinking it will screw us about... and then we are so busy worrying, we're not focusing on the important thing in our relationship and that screws it up."

Aeryn blinked in confusion. Sometimes the human did far too much talking. "Well I never believed in fate before you showed up and frelled my life up..." she sighed thoughtfully, "...but I can't help thinking I frelled your life up."

"No you didn't Aeryn. How could you? You didn't frell up my life... if anything you gave me one. If I hadn't met you, then you would never have shown me all those different alien worlds or taken me combat flying in your Prowler. And I wouldn't have found my soul mate..."

"If I hadn't been stabbed by Larraq, you wouldn't have gone to the Gammak base and Scorpius would never have put that frelling chip in your head... and a lot of things could have been avoided... like Crais stealing Talyn, you having to marry Katrala, the Scorpius clone killing me, Zhaan dying by saving my life... need I go on?" Aeryn sighed. "See... I did frell up your life. You could have been back on you planet living a peaceful life a long time ago if it hadn't been for me..."

"Aeryn... that was in the past. We can't change that... like I can't change the fact you slept with Velorek to save my life... can't we just look forward to the future? We are getting married and we are gonna have a baby..."

"We can't look to the future while Velorek is still aboard..."

"You didn't kill him?!" Crichton exclaimed.

"No... I was too confused. John... I want to pay him back for what he has done to me, but not yet. I want to show him he hasn't won before we do anything else."

"You do? And how are you going to do that?" he asked.

Aeryn told John her plan in detail. "...do you understand?"

He nodded. "Yeah... I understand perfectly."

Aeryn and John stood outside Velorek's quarters once more. Aeryn was standing in his arms, her back against his chest with her hand on her pulse pistol, ready to shoot in case he decided to take a second try at killing Crichton and Crichton had is arms wrapped tightly around her waist with his head resting protectively on her shoulder. John hated Velorek for what he had done to Aeryn and if it hadn't been for Aeryn telling him not to, he would have shot him right then and there. Velorek had nearly cost them their whole relationship when they had only just made the commitment and promise to be with each other forever.

"You know Velorek..." John sighed sarcastically.

"... we love each other..." Aeryn continued in a cold tone.

John kissed her hair softly still staring at Velorek. "...and what is really sad about this situation..."

"...we still have each other..." she groaned as Crichton kissed the sensitive part of her neck.

"...and you still haven't accomplished anything." John finished as he slid his hand into her pants.

Velorek glared at them both. He had failed. He had hoped that what he had done to John and Aeryn would have broken them up. Seeing them together infuriated him but he resided himself to the fact he had failed. "Crichton... she slept with me! Doesn't that mean anything? She betrayed you..." Velorek couldn't understand the loyalty of this male. If a mate betrayed him, he would punish her, but the human didn't seem to care.

"NO... no... She did it to save my life. She didn't do it because she loved you... she did it for me," he replied.

Aeryn glared bitterly at him, "You know Velorek... once... I loved you, but now... now I hate you. I hate you more than I hate the Peacekeepers; I hate you more than the Scarrens even... I feel sorry for you... I used to respect you for your kindness as I had never seen in anyone before, but now... now you disgust me and I want you off this ship as soon as possible." Her glare died and turned neutral, "I am not going to kill you... even though it's what you deserve... I will escort your ship in my Prowler to the Commerce Planet we are approaching and then I never want to see you again... do you understand?"

He looked sorrowfully at Aeryn, "I do still love you... and I am truly sorry for what I have done," he said sincerely.

She shook her head, "You don't love me and don't apologise... It's far too late for those now... just get your stuff and get to your ship."

Aeryn sat in the cockpit of her Prowler in John's arms. "This is the right thing to do?" she asked.

John shook his head, "It's your call... if you really want to do this then I am right behind you... I always will be behind you."

"Thank you John." She said, leaning back to kiss him tenderly on his lips. It was a comfort to have him right there in her Prowler at this moment and she wondered what she would have done had she not slept with Velorek and John had died in her arms again. It wasn't something worth thinking about although she figured she'd probably really lose it and re-join the Peacekeeper renegades or end up doing a Kamikaze mission in her Prowler.

Pilot's voice crackled over the comms, "Officer Sun... Lt. Velorek you are clear to leave."

"Thank you Pilot." She replied.

The two ships zoomed out into space, Aeryn's Prowler trailing Velorek's pod. Velorek smiled to himself. He had gotten away with it and he knew to be freed Aeryn must truly love him.

"Prowler to Velorek..."

"Yes Officer Sun" he replied.

"Did you really think you'd get away with hurting John, putting my unborn child at risk and doing what you did to me? If so you are the naive one..." she said. "Locking on to target now..." She said, flicking some switches in her cockpit. "What you have to realise Velorek..."

"...is that nobody messes with Butch and Sundance." John finished. And placing his hands on Aeryn's they pressed the fire button."

Velorek's ship exploded in a massive fire ball, and Aeryn fought to hold back the tears that threatened to roll down her cheeks. She'd killed a man that had once been her lover and although he had hurt her and John, she felt guilty. The only thing Velorek had really done wrong was love her and show it in the wrong way. But the pain he had caused her outweighed the pain and guilt. "It's okay..." John whispered in her ear. "Lets go home..."

Aeryn sat in a portal in the centre chamber drinking a Raslak. Half of her regretted killing Velorek in such a cowardly way, but the other half of her knew he had deserved it after what he had done. Like John had said, nobody messed with Butch and Sundance and got away with it. So many lives were taken by their hands, and now Velorek was just another to add to their kill count. Okay so he wasn't innocent like so many others... he had cut her deeply and very nearly ruined everything for her.

"Penny for them..."

Aeryn looked up puzzled, "Even after four cycles I still don't understand half of what you say..."

"It means 'What ya thinking?' So what are you thinking?"

Aeryn sighed, "I am just wondering if there was another way he could have been punished... so many lives have been taken by our hands..."

John sat down next to her and pulled her into him, "Come on... let's forget these past days. We've got a future to look forward to and Wedding plans to make!"

She smiled lightly, "But how can I forget? He was my first love..."

John remained silent and hugged her closer. It was now obvious that Velorek had got what he wanted after all and Aeryn would never forget.

The End.


End file.
